A simple recipe for a simple lesson
by Barelygoodenough
Summary: Karlei learns a very important lesson.


Kar'lei entered the kitchen of the keep, dressed in her white red checkered dress, her red hair held against her head with her silver phoenix clips

Kar'lei entered the kitchen of the keep, dressed in her white red checkered dress, her red hair held against her head with her silver phoenix clips. O'tis, the happy-go-lucky cook was whistling away, as he was cutting some vegetables and throwing them into a large pot. He didn't notice as she looked around the stone walled kitchen. Pots and pans hung from the ceiling, a basket of fresh fruit and vegetables sat on one of the stone counters.

Two other orcs came in behind her and dropped the bread they were carrying. "Lady Kar'lei! Wh… what are you doing back here?" The male orc asked her. O'tis looked up for his chopping, and laughed, his round belly jiggling with each breath of laughter.

"It's okay boy, it is 'bout time the lady of the keep finally came to my kitchen!" The Orc walked over to her and stuck out a pudgy hand for Kar'lei to shake. She took his large green and in hers, or at least tried and gave it a sturdy shake. "A hand shake of an Orc, coming from such a tiny elf, no wonder you run this place!" He proclaimed, as he chuckled.

Kar'lei felt shy, she had always said hello to him when she saw him, and thanked him for cooking such delicious food. It was true; it was some of the best food she has ever had. She looked over him and he was wearing a sleeveless shirt, with some brown pants and brown boots, and an apron tied around his waist. He walked over and went back to cutting vegetables. "So, Miss Kar'lei what is it that brings you here today, are you throwing a party or perhaps a banquet and would like me to create a menu?"

She shook her head "No, I was actually hoping that you could give me lessons on how to cook." She plainly stated. The two orcs that had gone back to work around the kitchen dropped their cutlery and looked over in astonishment. Did she not like their cooking? Were they going to fire them? These were not the type of orcs that did battle, they would have to look for jobs else where.

"Lookin' ta take over my job are ya?" He jabbed at her.

"Oh no, I figured there will be a time where I might not be able to come back to the Keep for a while and it would be best if I just learned the basics." She said shyly and smiled.

He looked her over and smiled back at her "Well get over 'ere! First thing is first, we must shave yer head. You see my underlings over there? Even the lass has her head shaved that is so no hair gets into the food." He said very seriously.

Patting her head Kar'lei looked worried, she had pinned her hair back for that same reason. She had been growing her hair for awhile now, wanting her longer locks back. She couldn't even fathom what she would look like with a bald head, or what Sol would think. She thought about heading out, when she felt the large slap on her back, following with O'tis' laughter.

"I'm jus' teasin'. Lass get her one of those hair net things!" He called for the female Orc. She went over to a drawer and pulled out hair net and then walked to Kar'lei and handed it over to her. Kar'lei placed on her head thanking the titans that there was no mirror to see how silly she looked.

"Now come 'ere missy, we'll get you started on some easy stuff." He handed her a knife and some carrots "I'm sure ya can use a sword, but ta cook ya will be using somethin' much smaller. Think of this as an extension of yerself, as ya would a weapon, but remember this is a tool." He handed her over the knife and she took it and started hacking away at the carrots. O'tis let out a belly laugh.

"Watch me." He requested. Kar'lei stopped and looked over at how he did it. "Jus' like yer knife is a tool so is this stone countertop. Never let the tip of the knife leave the countertop, push what you are cutting through it."

She started again, as she did as he instructed she looked quite awkward at best. We walked over to an area of the kitchen and picked up a stool and placed it next to Kar'lei. Then next he placed his hands on her sides picked her up and sat her upon it. Then he took the knife and carrot out of her hands. She let out a little "umph" and looked disappointed. Before he tried to tell her anything, she burst out "Why am I not good at this. I make fish I burn it, I can't even cut a carrot! There has to be a reason that I am not a good cook."

The large Orc patted her on the head, and rushed the two other orcs out of the kitchen telling them to go get stuff from the market. "Now, tell me the real reason you wanted to learn how to cook."

"I wanted to make a nice meal for someone special. But I want it to come from me. I don't want someone else to make it, or to buy it. But I've never been good at these types of things. I'm good at fighting, and commanding, I'm not even good conversing with people. I fall blank at words sometimes; I don't know what questions to ask. What made me become like this." She looked over at O'tis and covered her mouth. "Oh… I didn't mean to go into that much…"

He laughed, and bumbled over to a tray with some bread loafs arranged on them. He picked a loaf from one tray and then another loaf from another tray. He cut a piece from each of them and handed one to Kar'lei "Try this one first."

She raised one of her eyebrows at him but did as he requested. As she chewed the bread it seemed a little bland, not bad, just bland. He then handed her the other piece. The other piece tasted like heaven, the flavors blended together so well, each bite melted in her mouth.

"Now that first loaf was made by one of the assistants. The second loaf, by yers truly. Now what may ya ask is the difference between the two?" He stated, Kar'lei nodded and placed her hands on her lap, figuring that he was going to tell her it was experience knowing how to blend herbs together.

"Love." He said simply plainly. "Da two I sent out, I have been trying ta got 'em tagether fer years now, dey don't see it, dey fight like cats and dogs. But I can see it, if dy would jus' stop being stubborn dey would see it." He broke off a piece of his loaf of bread and chewed it. "You make think, Kar that I am just some simple cook, but I used ta be more than that. I was a warrior, not unlike you. I had a beautiful wife, she was a mean woman, but I loved her dearly, and she loved me. She did all the cooking when I was working as a guard in Orgimmar. She taught me that love was the master ingredient to any recipe. She may no longer be with me, but I remember her little lessons. If ya cook from the heart, it will taste better than anything cooked from a book."

The rest of the day they two spent talking. Kar'lei told him about the current wars going on, and how the Horde now uses Blood Knights. He told her about the old wars. They also continued the day cooking, her learning. It was comical a lot of the times but O'tis was a patient Orc and enjoyed the company. In the end, they had both made a picnic basket filled with sandwiches, a cake, and even homemade juice.

As she was heading out of the kitchen, basket in tow, he made a comment towards her. "It must be a very special person for you to go through all of this trouble."

She tilted her head at him, and he continued "It's just that … you are a different woman than when you first walked into the keep." He saw her blush. "Now git outta here and enjoy your picnic!" He laughed as she walked out. Kar'lei could hear is laughter all the way down the hallway as she left the building.


End file.
